Fifa commits to blood testing at World Cup 2014

15-Feb-2013 6:45:00 PM

Wada president John Fahey revealed he delight at the commitments made by the sport's governing body after meeting with Sepp Blatter to discuss the issue earlier this week

Fifa has committed to using biological profiling and blood tests at both World Cup 2014 and this year's Confederations Cup as part of a renewed effort to combat doping in football.

President of the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) John Fahey claimed earlier this week that the game was not doing enough to test for the blood-boosting agent EPO, a commonly-used doping agent in sport, after it was revealed that only one in four players would is given a blood test during World Cup qualifiers.

After meeting with Fifa president Sepp Blatter earlier this week to discuss the problem, Fahey revealed the commitment made by the sport's governing body, and praised their willingness to take action against the problem.

He told reporters: "We are very interested in continuing the work on biological profiles. Wada is very satisfied with the commitment of Fifa on the biological profiles, which will be run not only at the World Cup in 2014 but already at the Confederations Cup in June this year.

"There is always more which can be done in the fight against doping, but we know Fifa has always been serious in this domain. We think the leagues can complement what Fifa is already doing, but we came here to thank Fifa for its collaboration."

Fifa medical committee chairman Michael D'Hooge confirmed the level of testing which will take place, stating: "In 2014, the year of the Fifa World Cup, we will be spending $2.5 million in the fight against doping. Fifa was the first international organisation for team sport to start with longitudinal profiles.

"We have been testing this at the Fifa Club World Cup in 2011 and 2012, we will continue at the Fifa Confederations Cup 2013 with blood testing unannounced at training camps and games."

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